Folding cot.



Nb. 739,940. 'PATENTED SEPT. 29,1903;

H. P. SNYDER & E. s. BEDFORD. n FOLDING CDT. I

APPLICATION FILED 00T.24, 1902'. no MODEL. 2 slums-sum 1.

Inventors rbenezersperllvrrl Hordefl By W% Att rney.

No. 739,940. PATENTED SEPT. '29, 1903.

HIP. SNYDER & E. s, BEDFORD.

. FOLDING 0012.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 24, 1902.

N0 MODEL. '2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Inventors Attorney.

Mal-rams PETERS ca. Puma-Limo" wnsumcvow, n. c.

No. vsaeeo.

. UNITED STATES Patented September 29, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

HORACE P. SNYDER AND EBENEZER S. BEDFORD, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN;SAID BEDFORD ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO SAID SNYDER.

FOLDING COT.

SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 739,940, dated September29, 1903.

Application filed October 24, 1902. Serial No. 128,662. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HORACE P. SNYDER and EBENEZER S. BEDFORD, citizensof the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, in

the county of Kent and State of Michigan,-

have invented certain new and useful Improvemcnts in Convertible Cot-s,Tents, and Stretchers, of which the following is aspecification.

Our invention relates to improvements in folding cots; and its objectsare, first, to provide a folding cot that may be readily converted intoand used as a cot, a stretcher, or a tent; second, to provide a foldingcot that may be folded into the least possible compass and be light andconvenient to store or carry, and, third, to provide a detachablefolding cot with which the canvas stretcher or cottop may be stretchedto any desired tension and will be held rigidly to place. these objectsvby the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure l is a top plan ofthe cot-framewith the canvas top removed. Fig.2 is a side elevation of the same with the canvas top in place and thetent-supporting frame in position to receive a canvas covering. Fig. 3is an end elevation of the same. Figs. 4 and 5 are perspectives of thetwo portions of the connecting joint or knuckle. indicate sectionalelevations of the side rails, showing the manner of attaching and securing the ends of the revoluble roller or canvas support. Figs. 8 and 9are pla'ns of'the same.

Fig. 10 is a plan of one corner of the cot,-

showing one manner of applying and securing the stationary roll. Fig. 11indicates an end elevation of oneside, showing the leg in its normalposition; and Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the same, showing the legfolded.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views Arepresents the side bars of our cot-frame, and they are pivoted'to theconnecting-joints C C, so that they maybe made to assume the positionindicated by the solid lines for forming the cot-frame or the positionindicated by the dotted lines for the purpose of foldin g the cotpreparatory to packing, &c. The

We attain Figs. 6 and 7' connecting-joint iscomposed of two disks 0 andO, which are so connected that they may be readily disconnected upon theline a; x of Figs. 1 and 2 for the purpose of reducing the length of thesides, so that they may be 0011- veniently packed and carried. The disk0 is provided with an aperture 0, designed to receive the projection con the disk 0', forming when connected a strong vertical joint that isheld in place by the hook c engaging the disk 0' at the slottedreceptacle 0 in such a manner that the disks cannot be drawn apart bydownward pressure upon the sides of the frame. The sides of the frameare pivoted to the lugs a, substantially as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3,substantially as hereinbefore described, and to the outer ends of onepair of the side bars A is attached a revoluble support or roller B,which is revolubly secured to the pivotal support H by the bolt 01'bearing 1), and the support is secured to the side bar A by the bolth,subst-antially as shown in Fig. 6,'so that this roller may be made toform the supporting cross-rail of the cot-frame, or it may be thrownaround to the position indicatedby the dotted lines in Fig. 1 forfolding the frame. The opposite end of this roll is supported in abearing formed by the standard H, which has a folded leaf at the upperend so arrangedthat a receptacle is as a revoluble roller, but simply asa crossgirth at the other end of the frame for the support of the siderails and also to receive and support one end of the canvas top E of thev volved by means of the crank 11 until the proper tension is attained,which is retained by means of the pawl I, which is pivoted to thestandard H, as at 2', and has a thumbpiece t" at the other end whichengages the ratchet I upon the end of the roller B and acts thereon inthe usual manner of operating a pawl and ratchet for the purpose hereinset forth. The opposite end of the roller 13 is supported upon the otherside rail of the cot substantially as the corresponding end of theroller B is shown to be supported in Fig. 7.

The sockets or leg-supports D are securely attached to and arepractically integral with the side rails A, to'which they are or shouldbe brazed. The legs D are pivoted to the lower ends of the sockets bymeans of a pin or bolt (1, which passes through a slot (1 near the endof the legs and so arranged that the leg may be taken, say, at theposition indi cated in Fig. 11 and drawn down endwise, as indicated bydotted lines, until the upper end will swing clear of the socket, andthe leg may be turned around parallel with the side rail A, as indicatedin Fig. 12, where it is securely held to place by reason of being slidback, so that it has a full and perfect bearing upon the end of thesupport at both sides of the retaining or pivot pin 01. It will bereadily seen that it makes no difierence whether the leg is thrown upparallel with the side rail in direction indicated in Fig. 12 or in theopposite direction. The result is the same.

For the purpose of forming handles for converting the cot into astretcher we pass the tubes A into the ends of the side rails A, whichare also made of proper tubing and form a slot at in the surface of thehandle, which is engaged by the pin a in the side rail, so that thehandles may be drawn out to the requisite distance without danger ofbecoming detached from the cot.

For converting the cot into a tent we form a tent-frame from a largetube F and asmaller tube F, which telescopes with the tube F, so that itmay be extended or shortened, as desired, and pivot standards G to thesetubes, as at g, so that they may be thrown out, as indicated by thesolid lines in Figs. 2 and 3, to form supports for the tent, or they maybe folded up parallel with the rods F and F, as indicated by the dottedlines, for the purpose of packing the frame in the smallest possiblecompass. The lower ends of these standards are passed through theapertures g in the slides or handles A, by means of which the tent-frameis supported upon and above the cot, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3.

Having thus fully described our invention,

what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is-

1. In a convertible folding cot, tent and stretcher, a connecting-jointconsisting of two disks, one of said disks having a central projection,and a notch in its periphery, the other of said disks having a centralopening and a hook on its periphery engaging the projection and notch,respectively, of the other disk,

and lugs projecting from the outer surfacesv of said disks; incombination with side bars, one end of each of which is pivoted to saidlugs giving the opposite ends lateral adjustment, a supporting-rollpivoted to one side bar at each end of the cot, the other end of saidrolls detachably connected with the other bars at each end of the cot,one of said rolls revolubly connected at one end with its pivotalsupport and a pawl-and-ratchet connection between the other bar and theother end of the roll, and folding legs attached to the side bars,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a convertible folding cot, tent and stretcher a connecting-jointconsisting of two disks, one of said disks having a central projection,and a notch in its periphery, the other of said disks having a centralopening, and a hook at its periphery, arranged to engage the projectionand notch, respectively, on the other disk, and lugs on the outersurface of said disks; in combination with side bars pivoted at one endto said lugs and the other end adjustable laterally, supporting-rolls atthe ends of the cot supported upon the ends of the bars, a flexible topsupported thereon, folding legs attached to the side bars, andlongitudinally-adjustable handles in the ends of the side bars,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In combination with the side rails, frame and connectingjoints of afolding cot, downwardly-projecting cylindrical sockets secured to theside rails and having downwardly-projecting arms at the sides,cylindrical extensions telescoping into said sockets and havinglongitudinal slots, and pivot-pins passing through the ends of thesocket-arms and the slots in the extensions, said legs adjustable tolock in a vertical or a horizontal position, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

Signed at Grand Rapids, Michigan, October 18, 1902.

HORACE P. SNYDER. EBENEZER S. BEDFORD.

In presence of ANDREW ALLGIER, ITHIEL J. CILLEY.

ICC

